DO NOT GO THE WAY OF JEROBOAM

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DO NOT GO THE WAY OF JEROBOAM DO NOT GO THE WAY OF JEROBOAM

The life of Jeroboam represents a missed opportunity and this happens even today. The scenario is this, there was King Solomon the son of King David, who was the king of Israel and he had too many strange wives, over 700. These women came from many nations and brought their gods with them and Solomon built for each their altars. He even joined some of them in their worship. The bible said, “For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites.” These wives turned the heart of Solomon away from God; 1st King 11:4-13. Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, but you see, the wisdom and grace of God that comes from Jesus Christ is what we need to be wiser than the deceit of the devil.

God spoke to Solomon by the word of the prophet, that he was going to divide the kingdom after him, because of his evil ways. Ahijah the prophet gave a message to Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant, from the Lord about giving him 10 tribes of the kingdom of Israel after Solomon, according to 1st Kings 11:29-32. The Lord promised to establish Jeroboam’s kingdom if he followed in the ways of David, by obeying and believing God like David, verses 37-38. Many times God promises us things even by his word but we turn around and follow the path of Jeroboam. We think we know better than God does like Jeroboam, by doing things our way contrary to God’s guidance.

The hour came and Jeroboam was made king of 10 tribes of Israel according to prophecy. Jeroboam did nothing like David but even went the way of King Saul, such as:

  • He did not seek counsel of God and did things without prayer and hearing from God , as some of us do.
  • He forgot to contact the prophet who gave him the message, for guidance.
  • He forgot to thank God for fulfilled prophecy, that brought him to be king of 10 tribes of Israel.
  • He feared that the children of Israel would go back to sacrifice at Jerusalem. We should learn not to lean unto our own understanding like Jeroboam but to trust and lean on every word of the Lord like David.
  • He forgot all the promises of God to him by the prophet Ahijah.
  • Fear destroys, he feared the people and did not cast all his cares upon the Lord, 1st Peter 5:7-9 .
  • He imagined vain things, did not guard the door of his heart like David , 1st Kings 12: 25-27.
  • He made 2 graven images of calves and presented them to Israel as their god. In 1st Kings 12:28-33, it reads, “—It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt——.” By this act Jeroboam did the following that both the bible and history still hold against him this day and in the future:
  1. He did not learn from the mistakes of Aaron in the wilderness who made the golden calves for Israel
  2. He took counsel 1st King 12:28 but not of God; whose counsel do you always take in your matters?
  3. He had his own spiritual strategy to keep him king over the 10 tribes of Israel but left God out of it; some of us do the same and shut the Lord out of our dealings. This always ends in sin and destruction.
  4. He made high places(spots to worship their so called gods).
  5. The office of priests belong to the Levites of the lineage of Aaron. Jeroboam in 1st King 12:31 destroyed God’s ancient landmark, when he , “made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.” Some of us often go contrary to God’s word, commandments, statues and ordinances, in order to satisfy our fears, desires, pleasures and lusts
  6. Jeroboam like king Saul decided to offer sacrifices in the office of a priest; they decided to act in place of God, like some of us today who cannot wait for God. God is too slow for what we want to achieve, so we take authority over the Lord. The consequences are often terrible. Fear God and obey him always.
  7. Jeroboam introduced Israel to idolatry and sin, turning them away from their TRUE GOD.
  8. To crown his wickedness he used the words that described the two calves he made, as gods to the children of Israel. Where was his knowledge of the real God of Israel, Jehovah, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Paul said, in Romans 9:6, “For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel.” You may wonder how did Jeroboam get near the prophet, close to the throne and near to God’s prophecy. These days you see Christians and even preachers draw close to things of God and almost confuse the true elect but remember the Lord is perfectly in charge and nothing happens without his knowledge. Remember the Lord called Judas Iscariot among the twelve apostles, gave him power with the apostles to go witness and do signs, wonders and miracles. The Lord washed the feet of the apostles including Iscariot, he took part in the holy communion but the Lord knew all along that he was a traitor. Judas Iscariot did not receive the Holy Ghost (the seal of God unto the day of redemption), because the Lord knew Judas was not part of him. The Lord said, ” I have chosen you twelve but one of you is of the devil, the son of perdition.” In Matthew 26:21 Jesus said, ” Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me.” You cannot deceive the Lord for he knows all things, including Jeroboam and people who follow his ways today. Ask God for the Holy Spirit baptism, Luke 11:13.

    Read 1st Kings14:1-13, and see what God said, in summary to the life of Jeroboam and may that help us all not to go in the way of Jeroboam. You will also learn from this passage of the Holy Bible that there is predestination and foreknowledge with God, even if your parents are wicked and follow the ways of sin. In verse 13 it reads, “For he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.” Verse 12 called him a child. Be careful how you go through this life, God is in control and watching over all that we do. Also we should be careful not to lead people in the way , footstep and likeness of Jeroboam. Let us follow the way of the Lord and pay heed to the voice of his TRUE AND REAL prophets.

by Douglas Amobi